Redeeming Her Soul
by LstandsFORlover
Summary: A girl who only wanted freedom, but sullied her soul along the way. A man who only wants redemption for a debt he's paying with blood. What happens when two battered souls need each other to save themselves? First Published Fic! M for later chapters!
1. Born of Fire

**Hello! L here, this is my first published FanFic so please don't be too hard on me! It's a bit slow to star, but I had to fit in who she was and where she's from somewhere so why not right at the beginning? I hope you like it! Might be M in later chapters, if it is I will warn you at the beginning!**

**I don't own Harry Potter!**

"You little Freak!"

A small ten year old girl with skin as pale as snow and cold as ice glanced up. Her dark brown eyes that shown with malice were covered by brunette bangs as a fit man in a black suit came marching towards her. Her mother followed closely behind him, trying to hush him in his drunken haze, the other guests at the funeral looked on, curious of the scene.

"Yes?" The girls voice came in a hoarse whisper from all of the crying she had been doing the past couple days, since the accident just prior that had led to her sister's death.

"How did you do it?" The man growled at her fiercely. "How did you survive without a scrape while your sister was killed? How could you?" He rambled through slurred lips. His figure cast an imposing shadow over the girl and he raised a hand, about to hit the unresponsive child.

"Stop it, Langston! She's just a girl, she did nothing wrong!" Her mother exclaimed as he grabbed his wrist, preventing him from hitting her daughter. Langston turned and slapped the girls mother, leaving a bright red handprint on her cheek.

"Don't you dare touch me! This is your fault too, yours and that Devil Brat's! If you hadn't made me stop the car this wouldn't have happened! I wasn't drunk but you insisted that we pull over! And how do you explain that she was unhurt, Veronica?" His tone was quieter, but somehow that just made him sound even fiercer. "They were in the same car; we both saw them tumble over the edge of the cliff! But when we get down there that little wretch is just sittin' there in the grass, like nothing happened. How do you explain that?" His voice was becoming more slurred by the second till it faded off and he was back in his misty, red-eyed, drunken daze once more.

"Let's just go sit down Langston," The girl's mother led away her husband to a nearly empty pew at the back of the church. The dark eyed girl just sat there, staring at the coffin once more, as if pushing all of her will for the coffin to open and reveal her sister, her twin, looking up at them all and smiling, saying she was just joking. But the lid never opened, and her sister never came back.

~o~o~o~o~

Adena sat on her bed, cradling a silver necklace in the shape of an elaborate 'N.' It had been Nerina's, nowadays it hung from the same chain as Adena's own intricate 'A.' The twins had received tem shortly after their fourth birthday so that they could be told apart. The girls had loved to play 'guess who?' games with their mother when they were younger, so the necklaces had kept their mother aware of exactly who was who. Now that Nerina was gone it was just a reminder that there was a hole that would never be filled, an empty space that echoed lose and longing.

A glance at the clock on her bedside table told Adena that it was time; Langston was probably asleep from all the alcohol up in the master bedroom, while Adena could hear her mother bustling around in the kitchen. Adena had been planning an escape for a while now, since before her sister's passing, a way to escape with her sister and mother, away from that cruel man that was her mother's husband.

Adena dropped the necklace under her shirt and stood, walking over to the door. She stared into the room from the doorway at a large pile of stuffed toys in the room's center. Her brow furrowed as she focused with all her might at the heap, and smirked when a slow swirl of smoke rose from the toys. With a grin Adena closed the door and took a left, immediately on the top stair, and ran down the steps into the kitchen.

"Mommy, let's go to the park!" Adena suggested as she hugged her mother around the waist, the smell of cloves and cinnamon surrounded her. She smiled as her mother laughed like she had before Nerina had gone.

"Fine, I guess I can finish these dishes once we get back." Her mother said, drying off her hands on a dish towel and untying the back of her apron. Adena nearly dragged her mother out of the house as she noticed a curl of smoke coming from under the door, begging it off as eagerness to go and play.

The house was out of sight as they rounded the street corner, headed towards the park at the end of the other block, but the tower of flames was clearly visible as her mother watched her swinging. The sound of a fire engine could be heard, wailing its approach towards the house that was now truly ablaze.

"Oh, God! Adena, we have to go home, now!" Adena's mother yelped as she caught sight of the faultless shaft of flame and smoke coming from the direction of their house. Adena quietly followed her mother towards her searing creation, keeping her head down so no one they passed could see the small smirk that played on her face. She shadowed her mother as her neighbors and mother looked on in shock at the flickering inferno. It took hours to put out the blaze, as each time one section was finally put out it spontaneously burst back into roaring flames with a bit of prodding from Adena, but when the blaze finally quieted and the husk of a house was searched one of the firemen came to tell the girl's mother the news of her husband's death.

She broke into heaving sobs and Adena hugged her mother's waist, hiding her grin in her mother's shoulder. The man who had made her life hell was dead; he couldn't hurt her or her mother anymore.

~o~o~o~o~

Four months later, the now small family of two lived still lived in the apartment they had lived in since the fire. Adena's mother now worked as a receptionist to pay the rent and bring food to the table for them both. It was hard for Adena to watch her mother get more and more depressed, she had even started to push Adena away, leaving Adena wondering what had gone wrong. They were supposed to be happy, they were supposed to be close and loving and caring, but it was the exact opposite. Adena's mother rarely spoke to her, leaving her alone to her thoughts as they grew farther and farther apart.

Adena wanted to know what was wrong, but every time she tried to ask her mother what was wrong she couldn't say was she really felt. Adena stood outside her mother's bedroom door, trying to work up the courage to knock when she felt… something. It felt like something brushing at the back of her conscious mind, like a door-to-door salesman peddling their wares, asking her to open up and see what he had to offer. Adena reached out with her mind, imagining she was opening a door in the back of her head to see the unknown visitor.

She jerked as strange, foreign images and thoughts filled her mind, whispers of memories slid past her view but others stayed captive for precious moments before flitting like the others. A view of a noose hanging from the fan in her mother's room, whisper secret thoughts encouraging someone to step onto the stool beneath, and just end all suffering, a fearful glance at the door from the inside of the room. Then it was gone, the feeling disappeared leaving only the distance echo of someone elses memories in Adena's head.

The sound of a stool clattering and a rope pulling taunt startled Adena out of her dazed internal scouring. Wide eyed, Adena pushed open her mother's door and saw a sight that would scar her for the rest of her life. Her mother's now lifeless body swung gently by its neck from the ceiling fan limp and pliable as it drooped like a lifeless flower on its stalk. Adena couldn't move, couldn't breath as she stared at the corpse, her mother's corpse. Slowly, Adena moved to sit on the bed, dazed as she let her hands fall at her sides.

One hand brushed a piece of neatly folded parchment lying discarded on the coverlet beside her. She looked at it slowly, as if moving took an effort much greater than it should. In her mother's smooth writing she saw her name scripted carefully on the front fold. Her hand shook as she lifted the paper from its place, unfolding the neatly creased paper. She looked at the document with wide, tearful eyes as she read her mother's final words.

_I can't live without Langston, I miss him, I'm going to see him. My own daughter terrifies me, I can't say why, but she does. The pain from all of the loss is to great for me to manage on my own. _

_God forgive me._

Adena shook as she stared at the letter, fury lashing out its vengeful hand as she stared at the twirling cadaver. In her rage, fire swallowed up the parchment in her hand, leaving ash between her fingers. A single tear ran down the young girls face and she screamed, her wail was high and keening as she dropped to her knees.

"I did it for you! I just wanted us to be happy!" She shouted as crumpled. She didn't know how long she lay there, it could have been minutes, hours, or even days, but it didn't matter. Loud banging came at the door, but she didn't move. It came again, but still she gave no reply. Finally Adena heard wood splinter, and heavy clomping feet. Someone lifted her from her prone position on the floor and cradled her to their chest.

"It's alright, I've got you." The deep rumbling bass of a man's voice shattered her peace, and finally Adena fell into the dizzy darkness that had been threatening to engulf her.

**So… how did I do? Please review! I really appreciate **_**constructive**_** criticism, so if you see something I missed in editing, please excuse my mistake and thank you for telling me!**


	2. Eyes Tell All

**I got to publish two chapters in two days! Yay! I might not be able to do this all the time so don't look for it to often... But on with the story! **

**I do not own Harry Potter, just Adena and any other OC you may see later on!**

It had been a month since her mother had killed herself, but Adena could not pull herself away from the pain. She was now living in an orphanage, 'Mistress Mollie's Lovely Home for Girl's' to be precise, and just as the name described, it was lovely. The paint on the trim was fresh, the flowers in the planters and gardens were preparing to bloom, and every girl in the house was happy and cheerful, all except for Adena. She was the only girl who didn't smile, and she certainly didn't want to be adopted, so she stayed solemn and didn't kick up a fuss about how she looked or if she acted correctly. In all truths, she scared all of the other girls in the orphanage.

It wasn't because she meant to act frightening it was just the overall sense of wrongness around her. She knew things about each girl that she shouldn't, like the fact that Lizzy was afraid of heights or that Kimberly wants to become a writer. There were also the weird thing that had started happening soon after Adena's arrival, thing disappearing and reappearing out of thin air, doors to empty rooms opening with no one nearby, and other little things that set the girls on their nerves. And so for the most part, Adena was left to brood alone, eyes growing colder over the weeks as she sat staring at the walls of her room, reflecting anger and malice to hide the sadness and longing that tried to creep in.

Other than when meal times which were served in the mess hall, no one saw Adena. She had locked herself away, refusing to let anyone through her stoic exterior, and not believing she needed anyone but herself. It would be several more months before she found out that there was a place where her talents weren't as weird as they seemed to be here.

~o~o~o~o~

Albus Dumbledore had apparated in an alleyway a block from the orphanage he was set to meet one Mistress Molly in at eleven o'clock sharp that day. A charm he cast over himself made his robes look like muggle clothing to all non magical people, but anyone with magic would see the truth was that he wore light lavender robes with a floppy lavender wizard's hat. As he walked to the door of the building in the warm early July heat he saw plenty of little girls playing out on the lawn, but one child caght his eye. She wasn't outside like the others, but staring out of a third story window, hair blocking her eyes from view, but she seemed to be glaring at the children in the lawn below.

Making a quick mental note to check on that later he gave a wave to some of the staring children and gave a brisk knock at the door. When the door swung open a small child came into view, barely rising to Dumbledore's waist she stood there staring for the longest of times, taking in the kindly old man, and then waved him to follow her through the building. It seemed as if the girl was going to remain silent as they walked and Dumbledore merely smiled as he looked around the large home. It was a cheerful place full of lively colors and livelier children, which made his smile soften sadly at the thought of the sad little girl upstairs who was probably just confused and scared and wanting a place to belong.

The quiet girl led him through the busy building to an office near the back. A gentle looking woman with plump curves, mousy brown hair up in a bun, and shining green eyes was showing out a girl of maybe eight who sported a newly bandaged knee and a sucker. The little girls skipped away happily, leaving the two adults and the silent girl alone.

"Ah, yes, you must be Mr. Dumbledore. Very nice to meet you, I am Mollie Jensen, establisher of this Home." The woman held out her hand which Dumbledore immediately shook.

"I insist you call me Albus, Ms. Jensen, and the pleasure is mine." Albus spoke with a warm voice that held a strong tone of authority and gave hint to how he must have been as a young man, still in his prime. The silent child watched the exchange then looked to Molly for her approval to leave.

"In that case, call me Mollie. Go play Sarah I have no more errands for you to run for me today." Mollie waved Sarah off down the hall.

"Yes Ms. Jensen." The girl barely spoke above a whisper, but her sweet smile made up for her lack of conversation. When Sarah had gone Mollie and Dumbledore sat beside an unlit fireplace on a set of wing-back chairs.

"So you're here about Adena McKinnon?" Mollie supplied as she leaned back, wondering why such a man was in any way interested in such a girl.

"In my letter I mentioned that Adena had been enrolled in a school for gifted children. She was enrolled in the program as a small child and her tuition has been fully paid so I, standing for the entire board of governors, would request that she be signed up for attendance on the First of September."

"But where exactly is this school, I haven't heard of any school like that in these parts." Mollie inquired.

"The school itself is located in remote Ireland, but we take students from much farther reaches."

"Ireland? So I suppose the school is a boarding school then?"

"Yes, with the finest teachers any school cam offer." Albus assured the younger woman in his most honest tone.

Giving a sigh, the woman looked at Dumbledore for a long while, and then nodded her consent to his offer, "She can go, but only if she says she wants to go." Mollie stood and straitened her shoulders and back. "Well then I guess it's time to face the lion in its den." Both adults stood and left the office, heading up the stairs to the third floor and walked to a door with and erasable chalkboard bearing the name Adena McKinnon in semi-large block writing. "Well, here goes nothing," Mollie mumbled as she knocked on the door. In the middle of her second knock though, the door swung open to reveal a small ten (nearly eleven) year old leaning on the window sill across the room.

"Can I help you?" The girl asked quietly, glancing back at them her hair moved away from her eyes baring then to Dumbledore's view. Dumbledore froze, staring into the, oh, so familiar eyes from a distant memory. His face paled as he looked directly into eyes that were exactly like the cold, unfeeling eyes of Tom Riddle.

**Reveiw please!**


	3. Slytherin Aptitude

**Oh my gosh! I had this chapter all typed out and everything, I just never got to posting it. I am so, so, so sorry. Please forgive me and my stupidity!**

**And also, I didn't show her going to Diagon Alley because I couldn't think of how she would react… so it skips strait to the train. And someone asked who was the man at the end of the first chapter, and to answer that, he is a muggle police officer who got called because of the screaming.**

Adena sat in silence as the train pulled away, listening to what the other children around her said. They seemed to know everything that she didn't about the wizarding world. She was envious of their easy acceptance into the throng of students around her. She grimaced at the idle chatter that took up most of the conversations and waited as patiently as she could for more information about her new school as she watched her owl shuffle around in its cage. She admired the dark feathers of the bird as she listened in.

One boy with slicked back blonde hair and silver-gray eyes seemed to know the most. He spoke quite highly of the potions professor who happened to be his god father. He said that if you wanted to go anywhere in the ministry you had to get by his class with at least and Exceeds Expectations on your NEWT exams. He sat with an interesting group that all seemed to say 'upper-class and deadly.' A pug faced girl and dark skinned boy sat on either side of the blonde with two stupid looking flunkey types sat opposite them.

Adena kept it in mind to befriend the boy and kept silent through the ride. It was odd, watching the older students who sat near-by cast spells at each other, by she found it fairly informative as well, and she found that keeping you head down and staying alert helped you blend into the background. Adena was comfortable until the blonde boy noticed her sitting of to the side of his clique. "I'm Draco Malfoy," the way he said the name spelled out that he was someone important or he at least though he was. Adena raised a brow and put on a mildly appreciative look on her face but her voice betrayed her boredom, "Adena McKinnon, pleased to meet you." She brushed sarcasms faint boarder between being sardonic and outright lying.

Draco seemed shocked and seemed to borderline anger then he laughed. Adena's lips thinned and she stared. "Well, it seems you'll be housing with us," he motioned to the knot of children around him and smirked. "We're all certain of joining Slytherin house, and you seem to have the tongue for it." He nodded to her as the others began introducing themselves. Pansy Parkinson was the pug and Blaise Zabini was the darker boy. Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle were the other two. Adena nodded then they went back to their previous conversation, something about a 'boy who lived' and his upcoming cast off from society.

Adena changed into her robes when she saw Parkinson going off. She left her hair loose to hide her face and followed Draco when they exited the train and followed a man taller and wide than any she'd seen before. Stealing the spot beside Draco cast Pansy into another boat, but saved Adena from sitting with some of the foolish looking first years. She found herself ignoring Draco as he talked on and on about himself, though she stuck close as they made their way up to the castle and followed a strict woman named McGonagall into the awe-inspiring fortress. What Adena really wanted to see though was the Great Hall, or rather, the Great Hall's ceiling.

_Hogwarts: A History_ had told of the bewitched placed on it, and having no prior knowledge of enchantments or anything of the sort it fascinated her to no end. So as they walked down the center aisle her gaze remained faceted towards it. When the hat began to sing she turned her attention again and quirked a brow at the head table incredulous. Dumbledore smiles and bobbed his head to the tune, causing Adena to snort quietly and turn away. _'He's gone foggy,'_ she thought and took in the rest of the staff table. There was the large man who had escorted them up; his name was Hagrid if she remembered correctly. And Dumbledore was there in the middle. A man in a peculiar purple turban also caught his eye. A man who was so tiny Adena barley spotted him over the table sat peering over his plate and seemed to be in a huff about the situation. It was then she spotted a man dressed in black with a closed off, attentive look to him. He fit Draco's description of Severus Snape, the potions teacher. She had also heard that he was head of Slytherin house. She smirked to herself and looked up at McGonagall as she began calling off names of first years to be sorted. After a line of Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors the first Slytherin was Millicent Bulstrode. But there were no more until McGonagall called Malfoy, and soon after that Adena was called. The Hat sat on her head for barely a moment when it screeched "SLYTHERIN" and was pulled from her head. Such a violent reaction startled McGonagall and all the rest but Slytherin cheered for the addition to their numbers. She went to sit across from Malfoy and was quietly congratulated by an older student. She peered through her bangs at those around her and watched as the table around her slowly filled up. A ghost with a gaunt face and long hair clasped at the nape of his neck. The silver spill of blood was interesting to watch as he shifted as it shined eerily in the candle light.

Albus Dumbledore stoodand called silence to the room. "Welcome! Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!" The tables gave of cheers as food appeared before them. Adena began to serve herself after she saw that everyone else had begun to do so. It was an ungodly amount of food, but she put it aside and soon she found dinner over and done. Dumbledore stood to speak and he found the room quiet once more. He cleared his throat as he began. "Ahem- Just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well." He glanced directly at the Gryffindor table and many of the Slytherins snickered.

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.

"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor, on the right-hand side, is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death," It was to the last announcement that Adena paid most attention and decided that she would check it out later on and see if she could identify the magic being used. They were released not long after that and she followed and ugly looking prefect out of the Great Hall and down a set of stairs. With each step it got chillier and Adena fought not to wrap her arms around her against the cold. "Now listen up, because I'll only tell you this once!" The prefect called and the side conversations died off. "The common room is hidden behind this slab of rock here. The rock slightly larger than the rest here activates the door," The prefect pushed in the slightly oblong rock approximately the size of a first years head. "You also need the password which, for now, is 'Semper Serpentus.'" The rocks behind him folded away, showing an arched doorway. "The password changes often so be sure to check the bulletin board inside daily. Now get inside, I don't want to look at you anymore." The prefect stepped back and the first years filled past. The room gave of green light and skulls decorated the walls. Strait backed chairs sat around work benches and a gathering area around the fire was furnished in dark leather couches and a large armchair.

The prefect directed them to their appropriate dorms and warned the boys that it was a bad idea to try to get into the girls dorm, the repercussions were not worth the effort. It was easy to find her bed; Adena just looked for her things at the end of the bed and decided that it was time to sleep. She saw no point in socializing when they had classes the next morning. So after closing her curtains Adena settled in and immediately fell asleep.

**I hope it wasn't too bad, this is just a filler chapter because I couldn't see a way to skip both diagon alley and the sorting without confusing someone… mostly me.**


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